


Christmas Wishes

by MySweetJughead



Series: Poor Little Lungs [1]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Bughead Children, Bughead Family, Bughead Secret Santa, Christmas, Disease, Domestic, Domestic Bughead, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Holidays, Hospital, M/M, Parents Bughead, bughead - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-26 15:00:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17143916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MySweetJughead/pseuds/MySweetJughead
Summary: Betty and Jughead's six year old daughter, Lainey, has lived with a lung disease since she was 4 months old. She spends her time in and out of hospital with her parents, her younger brother, and her friends by her side. When she get's hospitalised over Christmas, a little bit of magic can make it the best Christmas ever.





	Christmas Wishes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lizzybuggie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lizzybuggie/gifts).



> This story is a Bughead Secret Santa present for @Lizzybuggy! Merry Christmas, I hope you enjoy your story!
> 
> Also I am not a medical expert so if information is a little off I am so sorry!
> 
> Emphysema: A condition that causes shortness of breath and causes lung sacs to rupture. Can be fatal.

Lainey was diagnosed with Emphysema when she was four months old. She was brought into the emergency room after she started to turn blue. From then on, she spent her life in and out of hospital. She didn't do it alone. She had her parents by her side. Betty and Jughead were there for everything. And when her 4 year old brother, Leo, was born, he was also there for her. Lainey hates the hospital. She hates the breathing tubes. She hates the needles and blood tests. She hates the hospital, but when she was admitted early Christmas Eve morning, she has never hated the hospital more.

*******

She was admitted to the hospital after coughing up saliva that had a red tint. Jughead rushed her to the hospital, whilst Betty packed some of her things and planned to meet them at the hospital. This wasn't the first time she had a lung infection. She would be in the hospital for a minimum of a week, over Christmas.  The hospital knew exactly what was wrong and what needed to happen. She was set up in the children's ward in her own room with breathing tubes. She had a TV and Jughead flicked through a few channels, finding a Christmas movie.

"I don't want to be here." Lainey whined. "I want to go home." Jughead hated seeing Lainey upset. He knows how important Christmas is to her. 

"You can't go home Lainey, you need to be here so the nurses and doctors can look after you." Jughead said quietly, squeezing Lainey's hand tightly. 

"It's not fair! I don't want be here for Christmas. Santa won't be able to find us and we won't get to have Christmas lunch! I don't want to eat stupid hospital food!" Lainey cried. 

"Lainey don't say stupid." Jughead sighed. "Santa is going to be able to find you, he's very smart you know." Just then, Betty and Leo entered the room.

"How lucky are you Lainey, you get your own room!" Betty tried to sound cheerful. She had a duffle bag packed with clothes for Lainey as well as her toiletries. Leo gave Lainey the iPad. Lainey moved over in the bed so Leo could sit next to her, and the two of them played on the iPad. They fought a lot, but whenever Lainey was in the hospital the two got on like a house on fire. Betty stayed in the room with the kids whilst Jughead ran down the corridor to try and find a nurse. He was lucky to find Rose, Lainey's favourite nurse.

"Rose, hey. Do you mind if I ask you a quick question?" Jughead called out to the nurse. 

"Sure Jughead." Rose replied.

"This might be a long shot, but is it at all possible to take Lainey home for a few hours tomorrow. It's Christmas day. She really doesn't want to spend it in hospital. I'll pay extra if it means I need to bring out a doctor to the house. Please, she's my little girl I just want her to be happy." Jughead pleaded.

"I'll see what I can do. It might be a little late, so don't get your hopes up." Rose sighed.

"Thank you Rose! You're the best!" Jughead grinned. He was about to return to the room when he saw Veronica racing down the hallway. Sweet pea was showing their 3 year old son a Christmas Tree made entirely of medical gloves. 

"Jughead!" Veronica exclaimed. "Betty texted me, is Lainey okay?"

"She has a lung infection, but she seems to be okay." Jughead murmured.

"God, the poor girl. Is she up for visitors?" Veronica asked quietly. 

"Yeah, she needs her aunt Veronica." Jughead said quietly. 

"Of course." Veronica nodded and ran down the corridor. Sweet Pea, Alfie, and Jughead followed. 

"Aunty Veronica!" Lainey and Leo squealed. 

"Thank you for coming, V." Betty said on the verge of tears. Veronica held Betty's hand.

"This is my god daughter we're talking about, I'll always be there for her, and we're going to make this the best Christmas ever for her. For all of you." Veronica whispered. Alfie sat on the bed in front of Lainey and Leo. Betty sat on a chair in the corner of the room, distant. She was watching the children and had tears in her eyes. Jughead crouched down in front of her, and held her hands. 

"Betts? Hey, what's wrong?" Jughead whispered quietly. 

"It's just so unfair. Lainey has to be in the hospital for Christmas. Lainey is constantly in and out of hospital. Jabbed with needles. She's had to sacrifice so many things Jug. And then poor Leo has to be dragged to countless appointments, spends his free time hanging out in a hospital when he should be playing with his toys. And Veronica and Sweet Pea are giving up their Christmas Eve just to help us out. It's not fair." Betty whispered. A tear slid down her cheek but she wiped it away briskly. 

"I know it's unfair Betty, but we're doing everything we can okay?" Jughead tried his best to reassure her, but deep down he felt the same way she did. He rubbed her hands with his thumbs, and as he did so Rose appeared in the door way. Jughead raced over to her, desperate to know what answer was. 

"Jughead, I tried really hard to to get release for a few hours, but her doctor really didn't think it was a good idea. He wants to monitor her as closely as he can. I'm really sorry Jughead" Rose said quietly.

"No Rose don't be sorry. You tried. Besides, I'd rather have her safe. I don't want to endanger her." Jughead groaned. "But do you think we could move one of those Christmas Trees into Lainey's room? They make her laugh." Rose nodded and picked one of the Medical glove trees and placed it on a shelf. Lainey took one look at it and laughed so hard she began to cough violently. In the rush to make sure Lainey was okay, nobody heard Cheryl and Toni slip in. 

"Auntie Cheryl!" Lainey gasped between coughs. "Auntie Toni!" 

"Aren't you guys supposed to be on your way to California?" Jughead whispered. 

"Yeah, but Veronica called us. This is more important." Toni whispered back. Jughead turned around to see Veronica grinning from ear to ear. 

"I told you this was going to be the best Christmas ever. Now, Archie is set to arrive with Ella in about an hour and Kevin, Moose, and Locky should be here any minute. I know you guys have Pop's take out and watch the parade on TV for Christmas eve, so we'll all join you. I'll grab the Pop's, and I'll place the order a little later on. Then we'll all go home. We'll come back home and be back tomorrow morning after we've all opened presents. We'll all meet back together for Christmas lunch. I'll bring a ham so there will be no need to eat that disgusting hospital food." Veronica announced. 

"No Veronica, you all go home. We'll all be okay. Go do all your Christmas traditions. We'll be okay? Won't we?" She said quietly, pulling Leo onto her lap and squeezing Lainey's hand. 

"Not happening, we will be there for you anytime of the year. We're family. We stick together. We're celebrating Christmas together." Veronica said determinedly. Jughead mouthed _Thank you_ to Veronica. Ever since he had a family of his own, he tried to make Christmas the best for his family since it wasn't very good for him growing up. He couldn't do it alone, make Christmas perfect. He needed help, specifically Veronica's help. He noticed that Betty had started to get distant and teary eyed again. 

"Hey Veronica, can you wait here for a little bit? I want to go for a walk with Betty." Jughead whispered. He took Betty's hand and motioned for her to follow him. 

"Jug where are we going? We should be with Lainey." Betty said glumly. 

"Yeah I know, but I thought you and I should go get a coffee from the cafeteria." Jughead said gently. They each ordered a cheap coffee. They sat by a chair next to a window. Jughead noticed that she had started to cry.

"Betts? What's wrong?" Jughead asked her softly, holding her hands. 

"I'm sorry Jughead. I just feel like I'm failing her. Lainey and Leo. It's Christmas! The happiest time of the year and instead we're spending it in a hospital. Surely it's something I've done right? I just wish there was something I could. I just want them to have a good Christmas." Betty's voice was barely a whisper. 

"Betty. This is not your fault. Never ever blame yourself okay? As for Christmas, they'll have a great Christmas. With Veronica helping out it's going to be amazing. I promise you." Jughead said gently. When they returned to the room, Kevin and Moose were in the room, holding Locky in the baby carrier. 

"B! Merry Christmas Eve!" Kevin said excitedly. Betty was astounded at the room. There was tinsel around the bed, window, TV, everything. Christmas lights were dangling from the shelf above the bed.

"Veronica, this is amazing." Betty gasped. "Thank you!" 

"You're welcome! You guys deserve the room to be the best decorated in Riverdale!" Veronica beamed.

***

As the day passed, the group played games like Pictionary and monopoly. Archie didn't arrive until dinner time with Ella, but he brought Veronica's Pop's order for the group and all was forgiven. Kevin and Moose left just before the parade. The group watched the parade on the small hospital TV. Archie left half way through the parade as Ella had fallen asleep. All that remained was Veronica, Sweet Pea, and Alfie. 

"We should probably get going Ronnie." Sweet Pea whispered to Veronica.

"Would you guys be okay if we left?" Veronica asked them.

"Yeah of course, thank you for all your help today!" Jughead said gratefully. 

"See you tomorrow!" Veronica called to them as they left the room. 

"Okay, it's probably time for you and Leo to go home too." Jughead yawned.

"No, I'll stay here with Lainey you go home." Betty said quietly.

"Betty, go home. Get some sleep. Leo doesn't want to be here all night." Jughead sighed. After debate, Betty said goodnight to Lainey and picked up the sleeping Leo. She said goodnight to Jughead and left the hospital. Lainey was asleep. He grabbed a spare blanket from the bags that they had packed, and curled up in a chair next to the bed. As he drifted off to sleep, he heard Lainey speaking.

"Daddy?" Lainey whispered.

"Yeah bub?" Jughead said sleepily.

"I love you." She said quietly and rolled over.

"I love you too Lainey." Jughead beamed. That was the best part of being a parent. 

*******

It was 10 am on Christmas morning. Betty brought over the presents from the house to the hospital. They had opened them all. Jughead had picked up Pop's for them to eat for Christmas. Leo and Lainey were wearing their Christmas shirts. The group began to arrive, first Veronica, Sweet Pea, and Alfie. Then Archie and Ella. Then Kevin, Moose, and Alfie arrived. The kids all played together with their new toys, whilst the adults gushed over homemade presents from their kids. 

"Ho! Ho! Ho!" A voice boomed from outside the door. A grin grew on Veronica's face. The kids eyes lit up. 

"Merry Christmas!" Pop in a Santa suit called out. He had a red sack at his feet. He went over to group of kids, and handed out presents. Jughead and Betty looked over at Veronica.

"What? I said I was going to make it the best Christmas ever." Veronica grinned. Jughead and Betty both mouthed Thank you to her. 

"Now Lainey. I heard you've been very good this year. You've been very brave. That's why you get two presents!" Pop dressed as Santa chuckled as he handed Lainey another present.

"Thank you Veronica, this is incredible." Betty sighed.

"Snow! Outside!" Ella squealed. 

"Hey Betts, come quick. Let's slip away. Real quick." Jughead whispered. The two ran quickly down the hall. 

"Why are we away from everyone?" Betty asked.

"I just wanted to tell you how beautiful you are." Jughead whispered.

"Jug." Betty blushed.

"It's the truth. You're the best mother I know, the best wife I could wish for. Thank you for giving me Lainey and Leo. I love you Betty, Merry Christmas." Jughead whispered.


End file.
